Haku's Demon
by Lynn Richards
Summary: I am Zabuza-san's weapon. I live to fight for him, and one day I will aid him in his revenge against his village. Mild ZabuHaku.
1. The Plan

"Haku."

"Zabuza-san." I replied, looking to my bandaged faced companion as he watched the missing-nins disappear into the forest around us. I would do anything he asked of me.

He looked down at me as we stood side by side, "We move in an hour."

I nodded, "Yes, Zabuza-san."

I could see the fierce grin through the bandages covering his mouth, the slight twitch of the fabric. I had learned so well to read his many expressions, though I was the only one who could see the differences in him. That was my job; I had to know everything about Zabuza-san in order to help him reach his dreams.

"We will travel together, but separate when the hunter-nins get near us. It would best suit our advantage to let them to believe you are attacking me as one of them initially, wouldn't it?" Zabuza-san said to me.

He did not truly want my input, he had already made up his mind, but that was fine with me because all I needed was to protect him. Zabuza-san could make the decisions and I would follow him wherever he led me. I was his loyal weapon.

"It sounds like a plan Zabuza-san." I said, happy that we would once again be on the move together, fighting together, accomplishing his dream together. I would one day destroy the hidden mist village for Zabuza-san and he would have his revenge.

We left our post in the forest where we had met the missing-nins that were employing us to take out the hunter-nins that were after them. The hunter-nins would catch up to us at the pace we were setting, which was what Zabuza-san wanted. His plan would unfold as soon as they got close enough.

A small part of me worried, if we killed hunter-nins they would come after us also. I knew though, that while we were not wanted criminals yet, any ninja from the villages that happened upon the two of us and recognized Zabuza-san would attack. Then I would kill them to protect him. The hunter-nins would be sent after us if we attacked other hunter-nin. We would just forge a life of killing ANBU forces after this job.

"Zabuza-san." I spoke very quietly, carefully, knowing I was treading into dangerous territory. I only wanted to protect Zabuza-san.

"Yes, Haku?"

I cleared my throat, unsure if my decision to venture this way was wise, but I couldn't not say something, "Zabuza-san," I paused, knowing that I had to word it very carefully, "The hunter-nins may come after us if we kill them." No disagreement, just stating fact, a fact he must already know, but I had to make him really see it. Although I knew that Zabuza-san would make the right decision. He always made the right decisions.

A small chuckle escaped from Zabuza-san's mouth, and his dark eyes met mine as we moved, "Haku, you are my weapon. You will be my tool, will you not?"

My eyes widened behind my mask, _does Zabuza-san doubt me?_ "Yes Zabuza-san! I am yours to use."

He closed his eyes for a moment, and nodded, "Good. As long as I have you by my side, I will never worry about hunter-nins pursuing us. I know you can handle them."

I nodded with him. I could kill anyone who wanted to harm Zabuza-san. He needed to live to fulfill his dream, and I would live to be right beside him to help him fulfill it. We only needed to bide our time, and one day Zabuza-san would have his revenge. Then he could be truly happy.

After a few moments of traveling in silence, he spoke to me again, "Haku, they will be in range within the next hour. Be ready."

"Yes, Zabuza-san." I looked forward to being able to battle at Zabuza-san's side again. Our lull had been too long this time, this job would be refreshing.


	2. Hunter nins

Chapter 2: Hunter-nins

"Zabuza-san." I spoke after a quiet half hour of slowly falling behind the missing-nins in the woods.

"Yes Haku. It is time." He told me quietly.

It was now my move. With only the acknowledgement of eye contact, I turned off to the right. If our timing was perfect, as I knew it was, I would circle around the hunter-nin and approach them in less than fifteen minutes. I hurried my circle through the trees silently.

I first saw them from a small distance, they were moving fast. It took me a moment to contemplate the best approach and then I just simply slipped through the brush to be next to the five hunters.

As expected, they stopped immediately. I allowed myself only the smallest smile as they relaxed at the sight of my mask and dark robes. After so long, the guise was still working.

"You are the cell pursuing the three missing-nins from the sand." I said in a level, flat tone, addressing the one with the fox mask. He was undisputedly the leader of this five man team. I had to take out at least two of them before I could allow Zabuza-san to engage in battle. They would attack him first and five to one were not good odds, even for Zabuza-san.

The fox nodded his head, "Yes, why are you interrupting our pursuit?" His words were just as toneless as my own had been. ANBU was so easy to imitate.

"It has been reported that Momichi Zabuza and a companion have taken up a contract with the missing-nin you are pursuing." The masks looked at me silently as I told them, and I could almost feel them chewing this information over, analyzing it as they had been trained to do. Of course, that was only my imagination talking.

"The Demon of the Village of Hidden Mist." A cat masked female said, sounding blandly interested, "Are we permitted to kill him also?" The question was directed not at me, but at her leader.

He gave a sharp nod, still looking at me, "He is a wanted missing-nin also, along with his companion, Haku. We will not hesitate to take them out if they appear on our mission. I have no doubt that they will try to engage us."

I had to force myself not to move, to stand absolutely still as they did as I listened to them talk of killing Zabuza-san. It went against every one of my instincts to go along with this, to even pretend I could help them in such an endeavor. He owned me; I could never harm Zabuza-san. _You will not kill him._

A small chuckle that I recognized with every fiber of my being made all of the hunter-nin turn their heads to the left. Zabuza-san had arrived, just as silent as one of his names suggested. He just hadn't killed anyone yet. _Good. I can go through with my plan._

I drew my needles, watching the others carefully to see their weapons. Their backs were to me, they trusted me. The hunter-nins were slipping up. I remembered a time when my ploy would not have worked completely. ANBU corps seemed to be less refined now days; lucky for Zabuza-san and I, because there were five of them.

I flicked out my right hand, then my left in quick succession. Down went the fox and the female who had spoken of killing Zabuza-san, the two with the highest potential danger levels. A needle to their heart, lungs, and base of their spine to paralyze while they bled out. It was hard to get enough power behind my weapon of choice to deal an instant killing blow, so I practiced hitting places that bled out the fastest. The paralysis was a precaution.

The three remaining hunter-nin saw their fallen companions and looked to me, this was Zabuza-san's opening, which he took.

The hunter-nin that he drew his sword on blocked just in time with a kunai to avoid an easy decapitation. That was when the battle became a blur. One hunter came for me, a wolf mask. I dodged him easily and blocked the four shuriken the third bear masked ninja threw for Zabuza-san. This was going to be such an easy fight, they were very slow.

The wolf and the hunter-nin that I had blocked formed a team. They were coming after me together. I wondered if they would break out any jutsu. I most certainly wasn't going to need anything more than taijutsu against these hunter-nins. I was too fast for them. I fleetingly wondered what was going through their minds, what were they thinking? Did they know it was futile?

"Who are you?" The wolf said loudly as the two of them rushed me. I dodged upward, landing on a branch to look down at them. I wasn't obligated to answer, but I wanted to. I wanted everyone to know who I was.

"Momichi Zabuza's weapon." I told them, my voice still void of inflection. I enjoyed the guise of a hunter-nin, it was so effective. Zabuza-san did not like it when I acted like this around him, so in battle was the only time I was allowed this cool façade. Deceiving people so thoroughly pleased me. I was a very effective tool for Zabuza-san.

I could not see their expressions, so I did not have the satisfaction of knowing how they took this news. I spared a glance towards Zabuza-san, who had almost worn his opponent down. That was his best strategy, because of his endurance. At least if he only fought them once. Unfortunately for his enemies, there was only one who had survived to fight Zabuza-san a second him.

"Haku." I looked over to Zabuza-san again, his opponent was short of breath, "Do not play with the enemy, kill them." He told me. I would do that for him. _I will kill them Zabuza-san._ I promised hi silently.

The wolf tried to run at me again, and I saw through the team's strategy immediately. They were breaking out the jutsu. I sighed, dodging both the wolf and the simple flame jutsu the bear tried to hit me with. They hadn't even been clever enough to make a trap out of it. I pulled out my needles to take out the wolf, he was troublesome.

As I let the needles fly, I realized that had been what they were waiting for. The wolf had been annoying on purpose. I should have gone for the flame jutsu user with the bear mask. He was going to use another flame jutsu, the dragon one. I recognized the seals. The blow would hurt, but it was how he thought he could hit me that puzzled me. But I didn't think they would try the same thing twice. There was an element to this that I was missing.

I dodged the flame jutsu, landing on the ground in front of the wolf hunter-nin. As I flung my needles at him, a ring of flames went up around us from the ground. This was the trap. They would try to force me to use hand to hand combat. That was fine with me. Zabuza-san would be able to deal with the bear once he took care of the other one, which would be soon.

The circle was small enough that the flame user wouldn't be able to use his techniques on me without risking his teammate. I looked at the stance of the wolf masked ninja and immediately realized that he was probably a very strong taijutsu user. That was why the other ninja had put us in a ring together. They wanted us to have to fight at close quarters. I looked up to see the flame jutsu user perched on a branch, hands raised in preparation for making seals. He would burn me if I tried to escape upwards. They were forcing me to use hand to hand combat.

I tired to see Zabuza-san, but the flames blocked my view and the wolf was coming at me. I dodged his fist easily and threw a single needle out to hit his wrist. It bounced off. I frowned, realizing he had the same kind of armoring on. Damn. Hand to hand was going to hurt until I found the openings in his armor. Or rip it off…


	3. Blood

**Thank you to Wordsplat for the review! I am writing this solely for you now!**

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**Chapter 3: Blood That Should Not Be Spilled**

I set to work right away. With one quick move I tore his robe from him so I could see the lightweight armor he wore. It was not the chakra armor of the snow country, I did not know what it was, but I could see the seams. Every armor had holes, and I planned to exploit those holes.

The wolf tried to hit me and I dodged, lodging a needle at a point where his armor gapped, at the back of the knee. It didn't go in far. He ripped it out, and I dodged his next punch. I wouldn't be able to incapacitate him, I had already figured that. I would have to rip the armor from his body.

I went for the seam at his wrist. He tried to punch with the opposite arm as I lodged my fingers between his skin and the armor. I had to catch his fist with my free hand. I ripped off the panel covering his left forearm, tossing it into the flames. Then he came at me with fury in his movements.

There were only so many attacks I could dodge, and only so many movements I could read. I was fortunate to be facing an enemy that relied on strength instead of speed. Although the circle of flames was just small enough that I wasn't sure how useful my speed would continue to be.

I managed to land a fist on the exposed part of his arm, which he didn't even notice. He was used to stronger opponents. I could fight well hand to hand, but skill and style would lose out to strength. I knew that.

_Zabuza-san, I will not fail you. I am your weapon._

My resolve hardened once more as I thought of Zabuza-san. I focused more on tearing the armor apart. I got around to his back and tore the back plate down the middle. I realized that if I tore the rest of the arms off, the back plate would fall apart and the chest piece would fall with it. I did not worry for the leg pieces; because once I could get to the upper body I could destroy his vulnerable parts.

The realization slowed me for a moment, which was all he needed. A fist connected with my side, almost knocking me back, but I latched onto the armor with one hand. The upper arm piece came off easily without the support of the lower. I used the leverage of his arm to launch my leg into his now unprotected arm, propelling myself backward at the same time.

I heard the snap of a bone breaking. I had injured him. It wasn't all the way through, only a fracture. He would be easier on that arm, and guard his good one better now. On one hand I was satisfied that I had hurt him, knowing that I would have a bruise where his fist had landed. On the other hand, he would be tougher now. But I would not lose. _I must win for Zabuza-san!_

"Why do you wear the mask of an ANBU, Haku?" The wolf asked me.

"I am Zabuza-san's weapon." I replied simply, not wishing to talk. I wanted to kill him, quickly, before Zabuza-san moved in on the bear masked hunter-nin.

Our fight began more seriously as he realized that was all I was going to say. He guarded the armor on his right arm well, keeping my nimble fingers from reaching it. Then I saw my opening. He had looked up at his partner in the tree and I tore the armor from his arm. The rest fell to the ground in pieces from the wolf's torso. I grinned fiercely behind my mask.

I drew my long needles to send them into his vulnerable skin when I saw Zabuza-san out of the corner of my eye. I made the exact same mistake the wolf had made only a few moments before. I allowed myself the luxury of watching Zabuza-san's great sword cut through the flame jutsu user's throat. I didn't even notice the flames going down around us because the wolf landed his fist in my throat.

My breath left me in one painful swoop, and I knew instantly as I tried to suck in another breath that he had almost completely crushed my windpipe. _This guy is strong, I was right not to let him hit me before._ I concentrated on taking the biggest breaths I could, which weren't very large. At this rate, I would pass out from loss of oxygen because I wasn't getting enough air to support my body in a battle like this.

Another fist connected with my temple, knocking me flat on my back. I cursed myself for letting my guard down. _I am sorry Zabuza-san. I have failed you._ The wolf hit me again and my vision faded. I heard Zabuza-san hit the ground and knew he would take care of the taijutsu user.

_My speed was nothing against the element of distraction._ My thoughts flew behind my unseeing eyes and I wondered if Zabuza-san would search for a new weapon now. _I have failed him._ No one had ever hit me like that before. I was becoming weak. _If you keep me, I promise to train harder, Zabuza-san._

"Haku."

"Zabuza-san." I whispered, my throat aching. It would take much to heal my wind pipe; my breathing was so shallow I had to concentrate to continue to breathe at all.

"I will take care of you, like you always have taken care of me." I barely believed the words coming from Zabuza-san's mouth. He was not angry? Not disappointed? Merely accepting that I failed? This did not make sense.

A drop of something warm and wet landed on my exposed neck. The metallic scent reached my nostrils almost immediately.

"Zabuza-san, I am sorry." It was agonizing to squeeze those out in a whisper.

He removed my mask, carefully sliding it from my face, "Why, Haku?" Was what he asked me.

I lifted a hand to the wound I knew was on his shoulder, "Your blood should never be spilled."

His finger touched the corner of my mouth where blood was leaking out slowly, "No Haku. Yours is the blood that should not be spilled." He told me in his low voice.

My breath became shallower, and the blackness that had taken my eyesight chose that moment to take my mind also.

**Authors Note: This is not the end! Do not fear! I hope this was enough to keep you going. I'm so sorry it was so short…I'm bad at action scenes…-.-**


	4. Rest

**WARNING!! Mild Yaoi. ^.^ Next chapter also. Skip on over if you don't like such things. O.O**

**Thank you Kchanheart, Wordsplat, and YSRS for the lovely reviews! Here is chapter four (for) you!**

**Chapter 4: Rest**

I opened my eyes to see Zabuza-san's face above mine, staring down at me. When our eyes met, his widened and he sat back in the chair at my bedside. My head throbbed, and I wondered how long I had been unconscious. I looked around, long enough to Zabuza-san to find us a place to stay, obviously.

"Zabuza-san." I said quietly, moving my head to the side to look at him, "How long--"

"Six hours." He responded, without letting me finish my sentence.

I grimaced, glad that we had technically finished the job, even though Zabuza-san had done most of the work. It would have been even worse if I had passed out before I had cut down the numbers of hunter-nin.

"I gave you some of the medicine you always give me when I'm wounded to help you sleep." He told me.

"Thank you, Zabuza-san." I pushed the covers back and started to get out of the bed.

Zabuza-san put a hand on my arm, and I looked at him, "Rest, Haku. We do not have anywhere to be."

I saw how tired he looked and shook my head, "Zabuza-san, you need to rest too." I protested, pushing against his unyielding arm, "You should sleep, I can stay awake."

He pushed me gently back into bed and drew the covers up to my chin, "Stay." He ordered, standing and walking to the door.

I watched as Zabuza-san turned the lock on the door, and then went over to the single window in the room where only darkness was visible. He pulled the curtains shut and walked back over to the chair. My eyes followed Zabuza-san's movements as he took his broad sword from his back and laid it on the chair. I had never seen him take it off except to fight, or to sleep. He looked almost vulnerable without it on his back or in his hands. As he unwound the gauze covering the lower half of his face, I wondered if he had decided to sleep. Zabuza-san had been born with the razor sharp teeth of a shark, and he did not like anyone to see that. From what I had discerned in all my time with him, I believed that he had been ridiculed at one point in his life for being 'different.' I thought that he was handso—distinguished in his own way.

"We will not be in danger of attack here, Haku. Do not worry." Zabuza-san told me quietly as he removed his shoes.

He pushed the chair right up alongside the bed, and then pulled back the covers. I sat up, thinking he had decided to sleep, but he stopped me with his hand on my arm again, "Stay." He ordered, his eyes searching mine.

Did he want to share a bed? Something in my stomached fluttered at that thought and I squashed the unfamiliar feeling. "Zabuza-san?" I questioned gently as he slid under the covers next to me. I moved over to give him some room; it was a big bed so there was some space between us.

"We can both sleep tonight, Haku." He told me, covering us with the blankets. He closed his eyes, lying on his back.

"Zabuza-san?" I asked after a moment of quiet. For some reason, my heart was beating faster, almost like when I was in battle, but it felt slightly different. Exciting in a way I had never felt before.

"Haku?" He said simply, and I took it as permission to continue.

"I am sorry for failing you today." I whispered, closing my eyes in fear of what he would say. _I failed to protect Zabuza-san today._

He shifted next to me and I looked to see his head turned my way, "You did nothing wrong, Haku." He said to me, "Go to sleep."

I turned away from him, my breath coming easier, "Thank you, Zabuza-san." I said to him quietly.

"Sleep, Haku." He ordered.

It wasn't quite that simple. I could feel the heat coming from his body, and knew that if either of us moved much, our bodies would touch. I wasn't quite sure why I was so focused on that thought, or why my mind kept trying to imagine what it would feel like to have Zabuza-san fall asleep pressed against me. My heart beat faster at my thoughts. I turned my whole body, putting my back to Zabuza-san. _What am I thinking?_

I listened to his breathing shallow slowly over many minutes, and finally my tense muscles relaxed. _What is wrong with me?_ I forced my mind to clear itself to that I could sleep. Even after resting for six hours, I found that I was still tired. It didn't take long for me to wrap my arms around my pillow and begin to drift along the edges of dreams.

The disturbance of Zabuza-san shifting in the bed kept me from finally falling asleep. His arm brushed against my back, and I forced my body to not betray its consciousness. I wasn't even sure if Zabuza-san was awake. He moved closer to me and my heart seemed to stutter in my chest. _What is this feeling?_ I felt his arm slide around my waist and Zabuza-san suddenly pressed the front of his body to the length of my back. He seemed to hesitate, but then nestled his face between my neck and my shoulder. _This is what it feels like._ I told myself, keeping my breathing very carefully shallow. If he was awake, I didn't want him to know that I was also. Although I doubted very much that Zabuza-san was awake, and for some reason, that thought made a sharp pain lance through my chest. I wasn't quite sure why.

I felt his breath tickle along my skin and an involuntary smile found its way to my lips.

"I love you, Haku." I heard Zabuza-san say very quietly.

**Author's note: Hahaha! Sorry for the short chapter, but I couldn't resist my evil side that wanted to leave you with a small cliffie! So, I may or may not have the draft of the fifth chapter done, but I will let you guys go crazy over this one for a day or two before I update. Oh! And the next chapter is the last. :'( *cries* I love Zabuza and Haku! Although I will probably write a sequel after I cool down a few more of my fanfics…^.^ Love you guys!**


	5. Zabuza san

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story! Here is the last chapter for you guys!**

Chapter 5: Zabuza-san

My eyes shot open and my smile disappeared. I still had enough sense to keep my body completely relaxed against Zabuza-san's warm one.

_Zabuza-san…Do you really mean that?_ I felt my heart leap in my chest, and suddenly recognized the feeling as one that had been dead in me for a long time. Joy. In Zabuza-san's presence, as his weapon, I had always found satisfaction and was content with being his tool. In a life like that though, there was no such thing as joy, not when you lived to be paid to kill. When my father had tried to kill me, joy had been stricken, destroyed from my heart and life. Never had I though to feel it again.

Zabuza-san's breathing slowed, and he wrapped his arm around me tighter, and then relaxed against me. He had been awake.

My mind replayed his words over and over. _"I love you, Haku."_ I fell asleep listening to Zabuza-san's voice telling me he loved me. That he loved me. _Zabuza-san loves me…_

I opened my eyes and then shut them quickly as I was blinded by sunlight pouring through the now open blinds. I shivered as I felt cold air at my back and I pulled the blankets tightly around myself to trap my body heat. I froze, my eyes flying open. _Zabuza-san._ He wasn't in the bed anymore. I closed my eyes again, hoping that last night had been real, and that the damage to my head hadn't just dreamed up Zabuza-san's voice whispering to me.

"Haku." That voice caused my heart to race, and I looked over towards its source.

I had to fight a smile at the sight of his usually spiky, short hair. He had the worst case of bed head I had ever seen, on one side it was flat, and the other side was sticking up in its usual manner. _Zabuza-san looks cute._ Part of me was mortified at my thoughts about my master, but another part said _"Who cares? Zabuza-san loves you."_

A small smile curved his lips, and I had to make my eyes meet his. What was my problem? I never had trouble making eye contact with Zabuza-san.

"I have breakfast." He told me, holding out two bowls to show me. Zabuza-san approached the bedside and handed me one of the bowls.

He sat on the edge of the bed, next to the chair where his sword rested. I sat up and we ate in silence.

Zabuza-san did not talk much. He always said what needed to be said and nothing else. I had grown to enjoy the silence, because I knew that Zabuza-san liked it too.

As I ate, the words haunted me once again, _"I love you, Haku."_ I looked at Zabuza-san's back and wondered, _do I love Zabuza-san too?_

The first time I had seen him, I had looked at him through a terrified child's eyes. My father had killed my mother right in front of me, and I was barefoot in the snow…

_I was on the bridge when he looked down at me and said, "A little kid like you, with no one to look after you, you'll die a beggar's death."_

_And I said back to him, smiling like children do, "Hey, Mister, you know what? Your eyes remind me of mine."_

"_Well, little one," he had responded, "Will you stay here and die, or come with me and be of some use? Will you serve me, and submit to my will in all things?"_

_After a moment, I nodded._

"_Well then, your special abilities belong to me from this day forward."_

_I stood and walked up to him, and Zabuza-san put a hand on my head, and then put his arm around my shoulders. "Let us go then." He said to me and we went._

I had followed him ever since that day. Every part of me had devoted itself to Zabuza-san. What he told me to do, I did. What he taught me, I learned. When he told me to train harder, I did. When he praised me for surpassing his skills, I basked in the attention. I soon came to crave Zabuza-san's approval. I worked hard to be able to please him, and when he told me of his plan for revenge on his village, I wanted nothing more than to help him.

My desire to help Zabuza-san in his quest for revenge slowly morphed into an overwhelming need to protect him. He could not get his revenge if he became permanently harmed or died, so I protected Zabuza-san and became stronger so that I could serve his purpose better. _But why do I want to help him so much?_

He had molded me into something, someone, to be utilized for his purposes. Zabuza-san had come to rely on me, and I began to value that. He had given me a reason to persevere, to become the best that I could. With Zabuza-san, I had a purpose, and a driving force behind that purpose: him.

_I love Zabuza-san._

My mind tried to wrap itself around the idea of love, because I had been void of the feeling for so long. Or, at least, I had not recognized it. _This is what love feels like._ I thought, feeling warm as I stared down at my empty bowl. _It's wonderful._

I was jerked from my reverie abruptly as Zabuza-san leaned over the bed to take the bowl from my hands. His dark eyes held a question, but he was silent. Heat rose in my cheeks as he turned his back to me to set the dish on a low table. _Did he know what I was thinking about?_

"Haku." He said without turning around.

"Yes, Zabuza-san." I began to get out of the opposite side of the bed, anticipating that we would be leaving soon.

"You were awake last night, "He said it as a statement, then added in a whisper, "Haku."

I froze, sitting on the edge of the mattress, and then turned to see him facing me. I knew exactly what he meant. He had known that I hadn't been asleep. I had not hidden my body's reactions well enough. My heart beat had probably given me away.

"Yes, Zabuza-san." I couldn't meet his eyes, afraid of what I would reveal in mine. I spoke so softly that I wondered if he heard me.

I saw his legs take him to the edge of the bed, now only the expanse of the mattress separating us.

"You did not move away from me, Haku." Zabuza-san's voice was stronger, he whispered nothing. He slowly began to walk around to my side of the bed. I had to say something.

My heart beat raced and I swallowed, saying, "No, Zabuza-san."

He stood in front of me, and I forced myself to look up into his dark eyes. The expression I saw there was not one I had ever seen on Zabuza-san's face. Uncertainty. He was uncertain of me? Even if I didn't return his feelings, I would stay. Zabuza-san was the most important person in my life, the _only_ person in my life. I would have no one without him.

His knees suddenly hit the floor and I reached out instinctively to grab his upper arms. "Zabuza-san!" I cried, not knowing what had caused this sudden weakness.

He raised his head to gaze at me, something akin to fear shone there. Was he worried about my reaction? Did he truly believe that I would run from him? Zabuza-san's position made him shorter than me, and I didn't know whether or not I should say something.

"I love you," he paused, then closed his eyes and hung his head in an almost resigned way, "Haku." Was he really so ready for rejection? Did he not know that he was the only thing that tied me to this world?

My nerve tried to fail, but the silence was going on for too long. I did not want Zabuza-san to lift his head and for me to see hurt in his eyes.

I let my hands slowly slide down, off of his arms, "I love you too, Zabuza-san." I whispered, looking at the top of his head.

His eyes met mine in an instant, hope shining in them radiantly. Zabuza-san's hand touched the side of my face and his expression changed to one of wonder. "Haku."

I allowed myself a small smile, thinking how ironic that the most intimidating man I had ever known had been intimidated by the thought of someone like me rejecting him. "Zabuza-san." I replied, reverting back to the familiarity of trading names back and forth as acknowledgement.

He threaded his fingers back into my hair and rose from his knees, taller than me again. Zabuza-san pushed me backwards with his free hand, moving with me until our bodies were pressed together, chest to chest. His breath was warm against my face as he moved closer, his dark brown eyes filling my vision. When his lips touched mine, I realized that even if the hunter-nins were going to be after us now, it didn't matter because I had Zabuza-san, and he had me.

**Author's note: WAHHHH!!! I can't believe it's over! Why did I end it like this??? Because I thought it would be cute…. Well, anyways, I'm starting a new story after this, the characters shall be a surprise…And I am definitely going to write a sequel to this once I finish The Book of the Hidden Leaf…^.^ Hope you guys enjoyed this! Until next time!**


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